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Facing the Light

Come forth into the light of things, let nature be your teacher. William Wordsworth

As daylily season winds down, I spend each morning removing spent blooms and reflecting on how new blossoms turn towards the light. When I first began gardening, I was dismayed to find that the daffodils and daylilies I had planted along the paths turned to face the sun but often faced away from garden visitors. It was like being in a hall before the concert starts and looking at the back of everyone’s head and an empty stage. It took a while to get the hang of planting flowers with faces in the right spot, often with a sturdy shrub at their backs, so that they turned towards the light and the garden visitor.

I cannot help but see the metaphor of this, of trying to find one’s place in life, preferably with a friend at one’s back, so that it is easier to face the light. As always, the garden teaches me a gentle lesson. Here are a few photos of daylilies and other flowers with faces as the garden nears the end of the July flower extravaganza. Enjoy!

To see more photos of light in nature, visit Carol’s Light Words and Robin’s Life in the Bogs; Kerry has a wonderful series of light filled photos of the Zion and Bryce Canyon National Parks of Utah in his Lightscapes Nature Photography Blog. I will be taking a two week vacation from the blogging world; I look forward to catching up in August, the first anniversary of this blog.

Alas, Margie, my garden seems to be heading into weedom as well. The last two weeks of heavy rain and intense heat has kept me out of the garden and watching the overnight weed uprising from afar 🙂 At least I have photos of the “before” 🙂

Beautiful every one! I added a few to my garden this year, but they aren’t blooming; probably next year. I have mostly yellow ones blooming this year.
I have a daylily garden near me, Garfield Gardens, that has hundreds of varieties. I’m looking forward to roaming through their gardens in search of some new colors.
Thanks for sharing the pics.

HI Paula, thanks for visiting. Going to a local garden is often the very best way to choose cultivars that will do well in your area. I hope you find the best they have to offer, and remember, they have already tested the plants for you 🙂

Thanks, Robin; the garden is a peaceful place, I’m thrilled that the photos are able to convey that sense. And you are more than welcome for the link; I get that same sense of peace from your images of the bog and the woods at your place 🙂

Thanks for sharing your garden’s beauty. Interesting how I initially thought that the one with the butterfly was my favorite … but then … no that one …. nope that one … oh I gave up and just enjoyed them.

BTW – I will have another World Choir Games post this week … well, that’s my plan.

I recently enjoyed watching the lily in the pond turn around to follow the sun on it’s daily journey. I particularly enjoyed the “Nosferatu, Echinacea, Swallowtail” photo – the mix of colours and the beautiful butterfly.
Happy holiday!

Carol, thank you and you are more than welcome for the ping back. Margo Reed, the hybridizer of ‘Later Alligator’ also has the companion daylily ‘After While, Crocodile’ – of course! I thought that your “Light in the Forest” post was a perfect complement to this post 🙂